


Take on me

by withered



Series: Who's been lovin' you good? [65]
Category: Iron Man (Movies)
Genre: Friends to Lovers, M/M, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Slight dubcon towards the end, not team Cap friendly, some vague shower action
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-19
Updated: 2020-08-19
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:27:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,243
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25991329
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/withered/pseuds/withered
Summary: Thanks to the serum, Tony can't leave any marks on Bucky. That doesn't mean Tony isn't going to try.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Tony Stark
Series: Who's been lovin' you good? [65]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/918138
Comments: 123
Kudos: 1046





	Take on me

It's because of a simple observation made one day after a rough mission, one  of the few that Bucky is authorized to go on until his probation period is over. 

Tony's admiring a new scar on his head, along with another version of the "how you still have functioning brain cells with your head injuries I can't fathom" lecture by one of his favourite nurses, Anthea, when he overhears another of his favourite nurses (he has many, it's not his fault they're all great), Stella, telling Bucky, "You're lucky you've got the serum, Sarge, that scar would've looked gnarly, and you're scary enough as is."

Which. Makes sense, in hindsight.

One of the serum's many capabilities includes an increased healing factor so of course Bucky can't get scarred. As it is, Bucky still looks in his late twenties despite being older than everyone else.

And Tony's not sure why such an obvious thing should stick to him

Maybe it's because Tony wears his years. And for all the shit people give him about not having worked enough or suffered enough for all he is and what he's done, Tony has scars aplenty to prove he's paid, one way or the other for his life and all the mistakes attached to it. And it makes him sad that Bucky. Doesn't.  


Bucky is guaranteed to age gracefully, and promised a skin permanently unblemished by every battle he's been tossed into, and. It's awful to think someone would look at him and think, even in passing, that _he's lucky, he's got it easy_. Bucky doesn't look like he's seen almost every major war in the last hundred years, he doesn't look like he's even sniffed at a battlefield much less made one of himself as the Soldier.

It's a fact that Rogers expounds on when he can, uses it to fuel his argument that Bucky isn't the crimes of the Winter Soldier which is neither here nor there when Bucky feels differently.

So, Tony starts trying to leave a mark, serum be damned. 

It's a selfish thing to want to do, actually, given that he's never spoken to Bucky about it. But if, in some small way, Tony can help Bucky tether himself to this time and associate it with something else besides being whoever other people want him to be, Tony will do it.

It's with silly things, mostly: post-it notes or fridge magnets on his metal arm.

Once Bucky figures out what Tony's up to, he doesn't stop him. 

In fact, more often then not, Bucky offers himself up to the claiming. Even if it's just with post-it note reminders for Bucky to water the plants he hides in his room, or to weed the strawberry bush before it consumes the garden because _it's your strawberries Barnes, you can't just let it invade the property, we can only eat strawberries so many ways you know!_ Or _you're watching Treasure Planet with the bots tonight, you promised, don't think I didn't hear you swear on your arm that you would!_ And _call Shuri before the Dora think I'm keeping you hostage, and while you're at it, tell them to stop teasing me, I'm forty not fourteen, don't ask, they know what I'm mad about it!_ Or choosing fridge magnets with corny jokes on them because those are the ones Bucky likes best.

It's not much, but Tony's trying.

With Tony's entire existence based off shooting for the moon, there are always points for effort. And if Tony measures that effort in the minutest twitches of Bucky's expression, that's between Tony and Bucky's almost-smiles.

It's not a big deal, Tony doesn't think. They're not full smiles yet, they don't quite count. But they're important, Tony knows, they're progress.

Especially since Bucky's come into the Compound with a bit of a reputation.

Not that _a bit_ would really be accurate, thanks to Project Insight, and the mess with the Accords two years ago, everyone and their grandmother has enough of an idea of Bucky's capabilities given the simulations done on Bucky's already existing kill list. It's generally agreed upon that Bucky is the equivalent of a human tank when armed with just a spoon so the average person can be forgiven for being cautious.

Tony is average in exactly zero capacity, and while most people would be uncomfortable with that prospect, Bucky seems. Grateful.

Even Rogers treats Bucky like he should put him in bubble wrap which Tony would like to state, for the record, that that is in no way the correct response for a certified Weapon of Mass Destruction. Though it's honestly par the course given the way Rogers treats Maximoff, so, points for consistency at least even if it's _wrong wrong wrong._

And Tony would know. 

And not just because Maximoff mentally fucked them up, and still subtly threatens to do it again despite official warnings to _not act like a goddamn child, you're twenty-seven, learn some self-control_.

Because Tony has proof that the best way to deal with Bucky is by teasing him. Shooting the shit. Gently bullying him to _lighten the hell up, Jesus, do you think you're the only one who's both messed up and emotionally constipated because I'm pretty sure that's a prerequisite to get into the building._

It makes Bucky feel like he's included, like he's not just a killing machine in human skin, and it also just so happens to involve annoying him. Rhodey says that's why Tony's really on board for, because that's his natural state of being when really _I can achieve multiple goals at once, Platypus, god_.

Things change one day because Tony's bored and they're in a meeting and Tony's bored and Bucky's sitting next to him and Hill has already glared at him for clicking his pen too many times and Tony's bored, okay? So, so bored.

And Bucky's sitting beside Tony because he's the only who who doesn't behave with the hundred percent awareness that there's somehow a predator in their midst, and Bucky has been taking notes because Bucky is a giant nerd who likes novelty pens and writing things down.

And Tony's bored.

And he'd had a pen and Bucky's arm had been right there. The flesh one, because Shuri will end Tony if he vandalizes the other. So. So.

Bucky pauses in his meticulous note taking. Looks down to watch Tony draw a smiley face. And then a cloud. And then a cube. And then a tick tok grid.

They play that together until the end of the briefing without really agreeing to.

And Tony's satisfied and thinks nothing of it. Or would have, if Rogers didn't immediately start fussing once Fury dismissed them, and insisted Bucky wash his arm off, glaring at Tony like he'd given Bucky some incurable disease via biro ink.

Which. 

Hey, that's a thought.

(Not for long. Bruce doesn't approve.

"Too many uses for spies."

"Yeah," Tony nods sagely, "we don't like those.")

Tony's so distracted by this very necessary discussion that he completely misses the hot gossip in the cafeteria that Bucky and Rogers had gotten into an altercation regarding pen drawings, and Bucky's refusal to wash them off.

Regardless, the next time Tony ends up marking Bucky, entirely by accident, is with motor oil.

Because Bucky likes the workshop, much to Rogers' chagrin. Tony can't tell if it's because Rogers is banned from the workshop and can't waft over Bucky like a bad smell, or because the workshop is where Tony usually is.

Either way, Bucky gets covered in motor oil because Tony might be an expert at this sort of thing but his bots are disasters --

"Like father, like child," is Bucky's conclusion.

"That's both rude and accurate, and I'm not sure what I'm more offended by," Tony tells him.

\-- but also because Bucky is too.

"This was less. Messy. In the books," Bucky tells him, creating an oil spill puddle as he sulks. He looks like a disgruntled kitten. It's adorable.

It takes hosing him down -- "No, Dum-E, not with the fire hose!" -- and what is probably an hour long shower before Bucky is clean again. Though he misses a spot on his collarbone where the metal arm attaches which he evasively excuses as "Not wanting to get it wet".

Tony's puzzled expression is then followed by a Very Important Video-Call with Shuri because, "The arm is waterproof, right?"

"Obviously, who do you think I am?" the princess demands and whatever confusion is on Tony's face is apparently nothing on whatever expression must be on Bucky's because then Shuri's voice noticeably goes "oh" and she's prattling, "The arm can withstand being underwater for up to 50meters, but it's best not to tempt fate, no?"

"He was in the shower," Tony reminds, still baffled.

"Safety, Tony," Shuri tsks. Then, like she's just realized, "Yasha, are you telling me no one's helped you wash up since you left? How inconsiderate! Tony, fix it!"

And Tony's concerned now because Bucky has to deal with Rogers and Tony isn't doing his part to help him out? The shame of it all!

Meanwhile Bucky's face has gone red, his expression panicked as he frantically signals behind Tony for Shuri to _please stop talking, oh my god, you're the worst, why can't you cover for me like a normal sister would??_

Which she answers with a Look of her own which says _I'm not a normal sister, though am I?_ And with a cock of her head and a haughty sniff she tells Tony, "I assume you'll rectify this, then?" 

Which, obviously, Tony will because he and Bucky are friends now, and Tony's never gone less than a hundred and ten percent for those people in his life, and Shuri is definitely counting on it.

Bucky, of course, resents that about Tony until he doesn't.

Mainly because the reason, Tony discovers, as to why Bucky tried to keep the oil stain on his collarbone had we been because Tony had touched him there. And that's --

"I...don't know what that means," Tony tells him, slow and quiet because there's many things it could mean actually, but Tony has to know for sure because it's important and Bucky has to say the words because Tony can't just assume this kind of thing.

Bucky sighs, can practically hear Shuri lecture him about _using your words_ , _oh my god, you're worse than T'Challa! At this rate, the bloodline will end with me!_

And decides that he can do better than measly words and just leans in and.

Tony has lived an extensively varied life, and to his embarrassment, he's never engaged in intimacy in a shower before. Because. Frankly, he's clumsy. And he's always worried about the logistics. And.

It doesn't matter because it's just a kiss. 

The air is warm and humid from the steam, and Bucky's naked behind the curtain because Tony had been adamant that he address the injustice of not helping Bucky get properly cleaned off from the motor oil incident. Except now Tony's being dragged into the shower and _oh my god --_

Bucky's got a grip on the back of Tony's neck, angling his face to the best advantage so he can dive in and conquer, fingers tangling themselves in the soft hair at Tony's nape to anchor him home.

It's a necessary precaution, Tony thinks, chest to chest and hip to hip like they are, it becomes apparent how hard it is to separate the two. Especially once Bucky's snarled and ripped Tony's damp shirt off, and Tony's got his pants around his ankles. 

They're so close together that Tony can feel Bucky's groan ricchochet from his chest into Tony's, and when next Tony moves, pushing Bucky against the tiles, Tony can feel the vibration of Bucky's whimper beneath his teeth.  
  
It's later when Bucky's carried them both to his bed, still wet and still very naked that Tony notices with a pout, "I was hoping that one would stay."  


Bucky's brow is raised, and Tony elaborates, "I left a hickey on your neck. At least five minutes ago, I did."

"You also came on me five minutes ago," Bucky points out, and the water washed that claim off pretty easily.

Tony continues to pout. "That's not the same." Then, "You know, I'm not a territorial guy, but I'm going to miss leaving marks that I can admire later. You know, just as a friendly reminder of better uses of my time."

He hums thoughtfully, leans down to slide his mouth against Tony's neck, smiling into the skin at Tony's sigh, and says, "I think I've got you covered, sweet thing."

And. 

Look. 

Bucky still smiles when Tony covers him in post-it notes or pen doddles or sticks magnets on him, but. The way he looks at Tony _soft and tender and claiming and burning,_ knowing that beneath Tony's designer suits and Iron Man armour, Bucky has marks of his own, again, after all this time. Is. Grounding. Exhilarating.

He tells Tony, hushed like a secret that this is the first time he's felt at home in his own skin since he'd been taken and twisted, and Tony smiles and nuzzles into Bucky's hair; the pair of them so content that the scars that are visible and not between them, heal over just a little more.

In Bucky's quiet happiness, Tony remembers why he always aims for the moon: sometimes he gets it. 

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this instead of working oop


End file.
